The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-27

PEDRO, poor PedrO- are you asleepf HOW
cold you are in your thin jacket; but never mind,
! will soon cover You up better, and they will no
longer make sport of you and cry 'Corsovadto
behind your back! The evil people will not even
let you rest quietly In your grave. But don't
worry. poor Pedro, Pablo is here with you, and
will let nothing harm you. Listen! The fellow
is coming but ne does not think that if he comes
down in here he will never He stopped in
stanty, for his sharp heard voices above.
ave Maria Manuel" said voice on the edge
of the pit. II wish had not come with you
1t is dark as pitch. and my old grandmother has
told me many time that the dead who are
buried last down there rise up and dance upon
the bodies OF the rest. l would not go down that
ladder if you offered me thousand pesos"
'Carajo" grumOled the other, 'syour grand
mother is an old-woman. Her head is full of
foolish ideas. What is dead is dead and cannot
move again. much less dance. l give you my
word that those fellows down there are very
quiet lot. and have no taste fer dancing"
But will not 90 down."
"Well, then, you need not, but be little
reasonable. Only hold to end OF
the rope, and when ] come up again help me
pull. You not afraid to help carry him, are
youl"
NO. not after you have got him up here
first"
''All right, will ask nothing more than that
from you"
81 wish it was over with If anyone finds us
here we will have to walk the streets with iron
knee bands for six months"
Nonsense! Who can possibly see US hereg
The workmen are long since asleep and nobody
thinks of taking walk up here in the grave
yard for pleasure at this time Of the night.
Now. here. take hold of the end of the rope.
Don't let it slip out of your hand or we will
have to stay much the longer. We can do
the whole job in half an hour. We need only
take the body down to your hut, there put it in
box and tomorrow you take it quietly to
the Doctors house Now here is the rope put
it around your wrist Be on the watch, and if
you hear anything let me know"
Il tell you, Manuel, my legs tremble as if /
had the fever"
"Oh, you are a coward. The wine will taste
all the better after this"
Manuel stepped on the ladder, and, without
hesitating. descended into the pit In spite of
the reckless courage which the Argentine had
often shown. a disagreeable, strange feeling
came over him as his feet touched the bottom.
He stopped a moment. set his teeth firmly to-
gether, muttered a low curse between his lips,
and went on to his work.
Manuel had been on the watch when the fun
eral procession came up the hill, and had dis
covered that there was only one body brought
up that night to the common burial pit He
stepped on cautiously to the place where he
supposed Pedro to be lying at the end Of the
row OF bodies. He quickly made loop in the
rope, and bent down in order to slip this over
the upper part of the body under the arms, but
at that moment he started back in terror, for
1t seemed to him he heard strange sound
which almost like the grinding of teeth.
Terrified, he raised himself and listened. He
could almost hear his heart beat, but it was
nothing, everything was still death. And
he took hold of the moose again.
"Have you got him?" whispered his companion
from above.
YES" answered Manuel, ''only be on the look
out. 1 thought l heard something" Manuel
bent over again and touched the head of the sun
posed dead man. Pablo had long before thrown
back the tip of the poncho from his face to allow
him to breathe more freely. Now, when he felt
his enemy pass his hand over his face he could
not restrain himself longer. Like wild beast
10 seized the hand between his teeth and
crunched IL.
'.Dios Mol" cried Manuel, less from pain than
terror, and fell back to the earth as if he had
been shot. The same time the rope slipped
down into the hole from above, for his terror
stricken companion did not wait for second
cutlery. As if pursued by the evil one himself.
ne away from the hole and was soon lost in
the darkness OF night. At the same moment the
half witted boy 1eaped to his feet.
Are you there. Manuel?s he Kissed between
his teeth. Have you Gomez Oh, yes, Ricardo
sent you here. I see him standing up there
looking down at you. Never fear Ricardo, heis
mine now"
And. like flash of lightning. he drew a double
edged knife from his cirdle and plunged it again
and again iato Manuel's side. The first stab was
mortal, but the idiot boy. with his victim before
him, could not restrain his fierce anger. Was the
boy really haf-witted2 At least what followed
would seem to prove otherwise First he care
fully wiped off the long knife the poncno of
the murdered man, and then he drew out small
lantern and some matches from his pocket and
struck light. He placed the lantern on the
ground and drew Manuels body up be-
side Pedros and carefully laid
it out in its place in the row. He then covered
it with sand enough to conceal the form. When
this was accomplished he carefully examined
the bottom of the pit. in order TO remove any
traces of blood, and scattered sand everywhere;
then he took the rope and spade aud went up the
ladder. lie listened while when he reached
the top. to assure himself that no sound broke
the stiffness Of the night Only from the city
below came up the far-of cry of the night
Waterman, who announced the second hour but
Pablo knew no fear He crouched down a few
moments by the edge of the hole and buried his
face in his hands.
Glow my head burns" he whispered to him
self, and then he laughed aloud. Now I can
have peace Ricardo is gone, and will let me
sleep in quiet He used to whisper to me the
live-long night begging me to avenge him, for
he could not remain in his grave. But the
cursed devil lies down there STILL along with the
rest of them. When holiday comes again the
little demons will no longer howl in my ears and
poor Ricardo will not visit me night after night
and beg me to help him"
Gradually Pablo became more quiet and
finally put out the lantern which he still held in
his hand and turned to 60 home. By way of
precautlon he threw another shovel full of sand
down upon Mauuefs body, thrust the spade
again into the sand heap and climbed over the
fence TO the road.
Juan did not hear Pablo when he entered
their little hut He had been very tired himself.
and wondered the next morning that Pablo.
who usually arose before day break. should be
sleeping so soundiy. 1t was late when Pablo
got up, and he occupied himself all the morning
IN cleaning his clothes. which he usually neg
lected. He sang and laughed at s1s work, and
hummed continually some little song Of which
Juan could only understand the refrain:
The devil is dead
And trouble is gone.
That day the festivities upon the lieht-honse
hill were seriously interfered with The wind
howled about the cliffs and the sun did not once
show his face, and toward night a drzzIirc.
dreary rain setin That night three bodies were
carried 10 the common burial pit, but the work
men did not stop long in the storm and. of
course, did not take the trouble to find out who
bad been last put in. Don Manuel was soon
FORGOT and the litkla .rh;